A few days ago in the coffee room at work, people were discussing what temperature they kept their houses at. Not surprisingly, the answers were all over the place. One young woman, who has a two year old at home, keeps her house at 72. Another kept her house at 70 but said it probably averaged 65 because of the drafts.

And yet there were several people who kept their house between 60 and 65.No doubt they were saving a fair chunk of change each month. For me, it would take some extenuating circumstances to force my thermostat below 66!

To be honest, I did have a slight hesitation about this in our new place. Not only do we have more square footage (about 2/3 more than our old place), but we also have a loft, and live on the third floor. I wear sweaters when at home, and almost always have a blanket on when watching TV or reading, but the second my nose or hands start getting cold is when the heat goes up. Generally, I’ve found 68 to be a very comfortable temperature.

Last month we bought an oil-filled radiator as our landlord told us the oil was running out. I was planning on returning it after the move, but I realized that keeping it in our bedroom and setting the rest of the house to 58 could possibly afford us some savings.

How much does it cost me to be comfortable in my own home? $10 a month? $20? Even $40? If the difference between 65 and 68 was a few hundred dollars a month, I might start to reconsider. But for anything less, I think I’ll remain comfortable.

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